I'm Here For You
by ouat-twd
Summary: Before Daryl Dixon goes on a suicide mission, he asks his brother to do him a favor.


_"You gotta take care of her for me man. No matter what you have to do. No __matter what. You gotta be there to help her move on. Even if it means she __falls in love with you."_

His voice rang in Rick's ears like it had every single day since that moment. The moment where Rick last saw him. At first he had a numb feeling about it. It all happened so suddenly. It was swift. It was like saying goodbye to your mother before you rush off for school. The only difference is, you never come home. He never came back. The feeling had started to turn into pain when the realization hit Rick like a ton of bricks. He won't ever come back.

A sound of a yawn snapped Rick out of his thoughts. A movement in the bed made him turn his head away from the window he was facing, down to his companion laid beside him. The beautiful blonde stretched her arms out, letting out a groan as she did and she laughed at herself. Her smile as contagious as it always had been. She cracked an eye open to Rick hovering above her and her smile turned sheepish.

"Hey," Beth greeted him, her voice still groggy with sleep.

"Hey yourself," Rick said in a much more awake tone.

"I could basically feel your consciousness creeping into my dreams," she complained, blaming him for waking her up.

Rick couldn't help but grin at her tactics.

"Judith's gonna come get you anyway and then you'll be more annoyed. So you're welcome."

She sat up with him. "You're probably right."

"I always am," he teased.

Beth ran her fingers through her tangled hair, trying her hardest to untangle the knots. Rick observed Beth in the morning light shining through the window. Her hair tangled and messy on top of her head and her swollen eyes still squinted as she just woke up. He wondered how anyone could be this beautiful. It was a sight to wake up to every morning.

"What?" Beth shyly asked when she noticed his eyes trailing her body up and down and that he had a slight smirk on his face.

Rick averted his gaze. "Nothing."

"Rick."

"Good morning beautiful," he ignored her persuasion and leaned in because he couldn't help himself. Beth took awhile to register but returned his gesture when his lips were right in front of hers. It was just a peck. She blushed when she finally registered him calling her 'beautiful'.

"I'm gonna go get ready for that hunt with Carl." Rick made to get up but a hand stopped him. He looked questioningly at the hand and then at Beth.

"I was hoping that I could go," Beth bit her lip.

Rick's eyebrows raised. "That'll be great but whose gonna look after Judith while we're gone?"

"I thought you'd stay with Judith."

Rick looked at her, contemplating. "Well then, you're gonna have to tell-"

"All settled!" She said quickly, stopping Rick in the middle of his hand gestures.

"What?"

"I told them last night, they're okay with it."

All he could do at first was nod slowly, dumbstruck. "Well look at you, changing plans behind my back already." He says as he bent down to grab for his shirt.

"Well I thought what we did last night gave me the right, Mr Grimes," she whispered and bit her lip.

Rick gave her a pointed look at that, feeling the blood rush through him as he remembered last night's events. He then grinned mischievously and Beth laughed but it gave Rick a sense of uneasiness. Her laugh so familiar yet so different. Something was definitely wrong.

"You alright?" He watched as her smile faltered.

"Yeah, I'm alright." She stood quickly, finding her clothes scattered around the floor.

"Alright."

She walked towards him and smiled as if to determine her point. Beth stood on her tip toes and planted a long kiss on his lips. Her arms wrapped around his neck and Rick's hand tangled into her hair. They pulled apart and stared at each other. Rick searched her face for any signs of something being amiss. He found them but she didn't look like she was going to share anything. So he let her go.

Beth and Carl had set off for their hunt. So it was just Rick and Judith left in the house. They did a lot of things together that day. Judith had planned it all before going to bed the last night. Rick played some hide-and-seek with Judith and then they both trained on some target practice with their bow and arrows. Then they did some farming which ended up with a mud-fight and they had to go down to the riverbank behind their house to wash off. It was a great father-daughter day and it was time to wind down. Rick had brought out some colouring materials and paper. He set Judith off to work on her masterpiece and slipped out of his kids' room. Rick couldn't shake the uneasiness off his chest with Beth's behaviour earlier that morning. He went into his room to get some rest and laid himself randomly across the bed. He decided his head had landed on Beth's pillow when he felt something hard underneath. Reaching between the pillow and the mattress, he felt a book and before even looking at it he knew what it was. Beth's diary.

Rick always knew that Beth had a diary. He'd come into their room one night and find her writing. Her face looking so serene and her stance so calm while the pencil in her hand kept moving, noting down her thoughts. Rick always felt that he was intruding but Beth didn't feel that way. She claimed that it wasn't secrets that she was writing down. It was just her journalling and he was welcomed to read it if he wanted. He never did. But his concern for her got the better of him so he took out the book, seeing that it had already been turned to a certain page.

**"Today marks two years since Daryl Dixon's death. Since he bravely went on ****that suicide mission that saved all of us. I was right all this time. We ****are weak without him. Or at least I am.**

**I plan on going on a hunt after dawn. Actually Rick's supposed to go. But I ****planned with Carl and he was okay with it. Judith's really happy that ****she'll get her father all to herself for a day. I haven't told Rick though. ****But I know he wouldn't be mad at me.**

**I just feel the need to go on a hunt you know. I learned to track and shoot ****and survive all thanks to him anyway. Being in the woods, I can just feel ****his presence. Looking out for me. Showing me the signs. I know that it ****probably sounds like a stupid fantasy but I know. I know that's where Daryl ****will always be when I need him.**

**I miss you so bad Daryl Dixon and I will always love you."**

Rick closed the book. Of course, how could he be so ignorant. He sat up, burying his face in his hands. He should've known that after two years, Beth wouldn't be over Daryl. They fell in love damn it and Daryl even had plans to propose to her. Until he decided that he wanted to sacrifice himself for the good of his family. And in the process, leaving Beth alone. Maggie was gone. Glenn was gone. Michonne. But at least, Daryl had thought to make sure that Beth would be in safe hands. She has Rick, Carl and Judith now.

Beth still loves Daryl. Rick can't forget that.

Soon before night fell, Beth and Carl came back from their hunt. They had a good day today as they came back with a full load of deer. Judith was excited. Deer meat was her favourite. Rick could tell that Beth's mood had improved greatly. Her smile reached her eyes, her laughter was a notch higher like it always was. The small innocent touches she gave Rick were firm and affectious. Rick had grown to love the warmth radiated from her touch.

But at night after dinner, when the kids fell asleep and they were both in their room alone, Rick knew something was terribly wrong. Beth was being rough. Like, really really rough. She had caught Rick off guard and basically threw him against the wall, beginning an assault on his lips. Her kisses were a lot of biting and the death grip she had around Rick's neck almost made him suffocate. But Rick couldn't stop her. He returned her kisses with equal fervour because she was such a turn on. He only groaned when she bit his bottom lip even though it bleeded a bit. He couldn't help himself. He lifted her up and walked them to the bed, collapsing across it. Their clothes were ripped away. Any form of warm-up was forgotten as they worked their way towards their bliss, bodies going limp immediately after.

"I love you," Beth whispered through the haziness after their love-making. She ran her fingers through Rick's unruly hair as he laid there on top of her. Both have yet to move a muscle.

It wasn't that they haven't said it to each other before. They both knew of their feelings towards each other and accepted them for over a few months now. It was bound to happen one day. But Rick couldn't shake the feeling of dread he felt after Beth's diary entry. He knew he had to bring it up. He cared for her, wanted to make sure she was okay and wasn't hiding anything from him. He didn't want any secrets. And he made a promise to his brother that he would be there for her no matter what and help her move on. Rick slowly lifted himself off of Beth, smiled down at her adoringly and then laid next to her. Instinctively, Beth's body turned towards his. Keeping close. Her head tucked against his chest as his arm wrapped around her firmly.

"I know what today is," Rick whispered.

A silence fell upon them.

"I've been counting," Beth spoke softly.

"I know," Rick nodded. Beth bit her lip, not knowing what to say next. What did Rick expect her to say?

"I don't want things to be like this between us," he started. He felt Beth tensed against him so he rubbed her back soothingly. "I don't want any secrets between us. Whatever you're feeling, you have to let me know. I want to be there for you."

"I don't wanna do that. I don't wanna talk about him." Her voice muffled against Rick's chest.

Rick sat up, taking away the comfort she was feeling.

"You still love him, I know you do. Of course you do. But-"

"Can we not do this now please?" She sat up too and leaned against the headboard.

"Beth, you're hurting. You're shying away from me. That's not gonna do any good."

"Rick just stop." She stood up off the bed, putting a shirt on with Rick following behind her in his boxers.

"When he died, you didn't even shed a tear. That's what makes me worried. I'm worried that you're keeping it all to yourself."

"WHAT do you expect me to do huh? I don't cry anymore. That's what I told Daryl before but I mean it this time. I wanna be strong for him, I don't wanna be weak, I don't wanna be a crybaby," and yet as she said those words the tears came streaming down.

"I don't wanna think about it or talk about it because IT HURTS RICK. IT FUCKING HURTS."

Beth felt out of breath. She broke down and collapsed to the floor, gathering herself up in a ball. Rick slowly knelt down beside her crying form. He slowly reached out, ignored all her attempts of pushing him away and nestled her on his lap. Her tears soaked his chest. His hand gently caressed her head and he rocked her back and forth as far as he could.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Rick mumbled against her hair, the guilt rising in him and he felt like a monster for making her feel this way.

"He's an idiot, how could he run off like that and get himself killed huh? I thought he loved me. Why did he have to go? Why?!" She cried.

Rick tried to hush her. To soothe her. To let her know he's there. When she finally quietened down, he pulled her off his chest to face her. He leaned his forehead against hers, seeing her shut her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Rick apologized again.

"Why did he have to go? He could have stayed. Why didn't he stay?" Her broken voice broke his heart.

"He loved you very much Beth, he did."

"Bullshit."

"Beth listen to me. Daryl did that to protect you. To protect all of us. He wanted to sacrifice himself for our benefit." Her eyes opened to meet his, still unconvinced. Unconvinced that Daryl loved her.

"Before he went he told me to take care of you. He knew you're gonna be in good hands. Even in the last moment I saw him, it was all about you Beth. He loved you so much you have no idea." Rick affectionately caressed her cheek. She cried some more, leaning against Rick's palm.

"I'm here for you," Rick said to her. "I will always be here for you."

Beth sniffed and nodded vigorously, clutching him just a little bit tighter. Rick gathered her in his arms and carried her into bed. He slipped in beside her, keeping a distance between them in case she didn't want any of that. But he kept close because he had to be there no matter what.

"Are you doing this just because he asked you to?" She timidly spoke. She was so quiet he could barely hear her. They were both staring at the ceiling, processing what just happened.

"It was at first," he glanced at her. He could feel the tension in the air when he said that. All those months of not just sharing the same bed but sleeping together. Beth wanted to know it meant something. "But I fell for you Beth, it was only a matter of time."

It was when he was half asleep that Beth cuddled back to his welcoming side. She kissed against his shoulder and that's when he knew that they're alright now. Beth let the weight of those two years off her chest. She came to terms with it. Rick felt that he was doing something right for once. And do what his brother requested him to.

"I love you Rick."

_"You gotta take care of her for me man. No matter what you have to do. No matter what. You gotta be there to help her move on. Even if it means she falls in love with you."_


End file.
